Sunday 3 March 2013 18.02 EST
First published on Sunday 3 March 2013 18.02 EST

Sam Allardyce says the only consideration over his future is that it should be in the Premier League. The West Ham manager's contract expires at the end of the season and he was bullish about what was only their third away win.

"Staying in the Premier League is everything about my future," Allardyce said. "It is where I want to be and where I want to apply my skills because I like the euphoria, excitement and pressure that it brings. It is the best league in the world and the most entertaining, so plying your trade in it is what you want to do."

The 1-0 victory at Stoke on Saturday, courtesy of a Jack Collison goal in first-half stoppage time, moved the Hammers up to 12th, level on points with Stoke, and Allardyce believes five more points will be enough to avoid relegation.

West Ham, now nine points clear of the relegation zone, started the season well before hitting a slump, and Allardyce feels their efforts have been commendable. "We have finally broken the away-form scenario in terms of results, and that is our third away win," he said. "We have not got enough draws away from home when we should have got them, and ended up losing them.

"So we put ourselves under enormous pressure, but with the great start we had to the season our lowest position in the table in the entire season was before this match [14th]. So when you look at it over 27, 28 games, for your first season [back in the Premier League], even though you are feeling the pressure because you are slipping down, it is not bad is it?"

Stoke's manager, Tony Pulis, feels his team have "gone a little bit flat" of late. This loss means his team, beaten only three times in their first 20 Premier League fixtures, have now suffered six defeats in the eight top-flight matches that followed.

All that has left them in 11th place on 33 points, and Pulis wants to see his players rouse themselves for a strong finish to the campaign after what was only Stoke's second home defeat. "We have gone a little bit flat and we have to shake ourselves out of it, without a question of a doubt," he said. "We need to get over the line – get 40 points. It is only our second home defeat and that is most probably as disappointing as anything, because our home form has been excellent this year."

West Ham had already gone close, with James Collins sending a header on to the bar, and were the side to create more clear chances throughout a game of few, although they only emerged with the victory having survived a couple of late scares.

A volley from the Stoke substitute Charlie Adam crashed against the goal frame in stoppage time at the end of the match, and the hosts' protests that Hammers defender Guy Demel had deliberately handled in the area were then waved away by the referee, Jonathan Moss.

Ultimately, Pulis's men did not produce enough on the day, something acknowledged by Adam – although the Scotland midfielder has stressed that there should not be too much doom and gloom in the Potters camp.

"We huffed and we puffed for 90 minutes, but sadly the quality or that cutting edge just wasn't there, and I suppose in the end it just wasn't our day," said Adam.

"It's disappointing, of course it is – nobody wants to lose games. But there is a lot of positives to take from the season so far, there is no doubt about that."

He added: "We have plenty of games to go and we are in a good position in the league, so let's not get too carried away. There are 30 points to play for and we will be doing everything we can to get as many of them as possible."